Nepal manpower agencies cancel protests after government deal

Nepal’s manpower agencies have called off planned protests and recruitment halts following an agreement with the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security. The Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA) announced that the government pledged to address its 15-point list of demands within 45 days.

Key demands from the agencies include the withdrawal of actions taken by the Department of Foreign Employment against certain companies, amendments to the Foreign Employment Act 2007 to ensure transparent costs, and the implementation of automated systems for labor-demand verification. The agencies also raised concerns regarding rising airfares and the need for diplomatic intervention to address recruitment monopolies in countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia.

In a separate effort to address the outflow of young people seeking employment abroad, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Nepal and Startup Summit Nepal 2026 discussed strategies to link skilled labor with domestic entrepreneurship. Discussions focused on creating local business opportunities to transform the country’s skilled workforce into an engine for domestic job creation.